Stringed musical instrument



Feb. 25, 1936. G, D, HAMBRECHT P -r L 2,031,706

STRINGED MUSYICAL INSTRUMENT I Filed Feb. 1, 1933 Patented Feb. 25, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE George D. Hambrecht and James Weldon Paine,Canajoharie, N. Y.

Application February 1, 1933, Serial No. 654,714

19 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in stringed musical instrumentswhich may be played with a bow, the fingers, with picks, or in anydesired manner.

'Ihe primary object of the invention is to increase the volume andimprove the tone of stringed musical instruments by means ofimprovements in the mode of fastening the strings to the sounding boardor sounding device, and by improvements in the mounting of the bridgeand the construction of the tail piece.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing and the following detailed description of anillustrative embodiment in which the improvements are shown as appliedto a particular form of stringed instrument, although it will beunderstood that in its broadest aspects the invention is of generalapplication.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a stringed musical instrument provided with theimprovements;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The body of the stringed instrument, which may be of any known ordesired construction, is designated by the reference numeral III andincludes a sounding board or sounding device II. The reference numeralI2 denotes the neck portion of the instrument which may be equipped withpegs I3 for adjustment of strings I4, the mode of attachment of Which atthe other end of the instrument constitutes our invention. Sound holeswithin the sounding board II are designated at I5.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, a tail piece I6is yieldingly connected at one end to the end of the instrument oppositethe neck portion I2 as by a hinge or other flexible connection I1. Anarched adjusting member or bar I8 extends across the instrument fromedge to edge, but is not permanently fastened thereto, being held inposition by means of the tension of the strings which. pass throughopenings in the bridge and are secured to the tail piece I6. It will benoted that the end of `the tail piece to which the strings are attachedrests upon the member I8 so that by adjustment thereof the tension ofthe strings may be varied.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a bridge I9,located adjacent the adjusting member I8 and on the side opposite thetail piece, for conducting the vibrations from the strings to thesounding board or sounding device of the instrument. As shown, thebridge is suitably secured to the sounding board and provided withopenings 20-20 through which the strings I4 pass before reaching thetail piece. These openings are lower than the point of attachment of thestrings to the tail piece so that the end portions of the strings willbe inclined upwardly as indicated at 2 I. The tension of the strings andthe angle of inclination of the end portions 2| may be initiallyadjusted by adjusting the member I8 and thus changing the inclination ofthe hinged tail piece I6.

Preferably bars 22 extending transversely of the instrument IIl,together with bars 23 extending lengthwise thereof, are placed under thetop or sounding board I I and secured thereto in any suitable manner.Their function is (l) to strengthen the sounding board and (2) to aid inconducting the vibrations to the sound hole or holes I5.

It will be noted that, owing to the arrangement above described,tensioning of the strings will cause the sounding board to be pulledupwardly with respect to the bottom of the instrument. The adjustingmember or bar I8 is so constructed that there is room for the soundingboard to expand upwardly beneath the arch thereof'. 'I'he adjustabilityof the bar with reference to the v tail piece creates a lever action ontop of the sounding board increasing the upward pull.

'I'he entire top or sounding board is under 25 upward tension because itis securely fastened at the edges and the strings are attached in thecenter by the bridge through which the strings pass to the adjusting barI 8 and tail piece. This bar not being fastened to the center of the topor sounding board, as are the bridges in other types, permits the entiretop or sounding board to be pulled upward, which straightens out thefibers as before mentioned.

It is to be understood that the principles of the invention apply to allsimilar instruments, the guitar having been shown for illustrationpurposes only.

'Ihe invention has been described in detail for the purpose ofillustration, but it will be un- 40 derstood that modifications may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A stringed musical instrument including a sounding board, stringsextending substantially parallel with the sounding board, means wherebyan upward pull is exerted upon the sounding board when the strings aresubjected to tension, and slidable means for varying the upward pull.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, a tailpiece iiexibly connected atone end to the body of the instrument, and having its other endconnected to the strings of the instrument, and means for varying theangle of inclination of the tailpiece, said means including anadjustment bar slidable relative to the sounding board beneath thetailpiece.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, an inclined tailpiece ilexiblyconnected at one end to the body of the instrument, and having its otherend connected to the strings of the instrument, and means comprising anadjustable bar slidable beneath the tailpiece for varying the angle ofinclination of the tailpiece.

4. A stringed musical'instrument, including a sounding board, stringsextending substantially parallel with the sounding board, means attachedto the sounding board for conducting vibrations from the strings to thesounding board and means, including a slidable bar, for exerting anupward pull upon the rst-named means when the strings are under tension.

5. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, means mounted onthe sounding board for conducting the vibrations of the strings to thesounding board, an adjustable bar slidably mounted adjacent said meansand a tailpiece onv the opposite side of the bar from said means, saidtailpiece being hingedly connected at one end to the body of theinstrument while the other end rests upon the bar, the strings of theinstrument being attached to the latter end of the tailpiece at a levelabove the level of said sound conducting means, and means for tensioningthe strings of the instrument.

6. In a stringed musical instrument of the` character described, atailpiece hinged at one end to the body of the instrument and having itsother end connected to the strings of the instrument, and adjustingmeans for said tailpiece comprising a barv slidable beneath thetailpiece.

7. A musical instrument having a sounding vboard and strings extendingsubstantially parallel with the sounding board, and means, including aslidable bar, for exerting an upward pull on the sounding board when thestrings are subjected to tension.

8. In a guitar, a bridge having strings attached thereto, and means,including a slidable bar, for exerting an upward pull on said bridgewhen the strings are subjected to tension.

9. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto the sounding board,

strings passing through the bridge, a tailpiece flexibly connected atone end to the body of the instrument and having its other end connectedto the strings of the instrument, and means for varying the inclinationof the tailpiece, said means comprising a slidable bar beneath thetailpiece.

10. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto said sounding board, strings passing through said bridge, an inclinedtailpiece flexibly connected at one end to the body of the instrumentand connected at its other end to the strings of the instrument, andmeans for holding the string engaging end of the tailpiece at a levelabove the bridge.

11. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto said sounding board, strings passing through said bridge, an inclinedtailpiece exibly connected at one end to the body of the instrument andconnected at its other end to the strings of the instrument, means forholding the string engaging end of the tailpiece at a level above thebridge, and means for tensioning said strings.

12. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto said sounding board, strings passing through said bridge, an inclinedtailpiece flexibly connected at one end to the body of the instrumentand having its other end connected to the strings of the instrument at alevel above the bridge, and means for vary" ing the inclination of saidtailpiece.

13. A stringed musical instrument, including a sounding board andstrings adapted to be suspended under tension in spaced relation to saidsounding board, a bridge secured to said sounding board having means forattachment of said strings, and a tailpiece secured to the body of theinstrument at one end and inclined at an angle above said soundingboard, a b-ar slidable beneath said tailpiece and supporting the upperend of the tailpiece at a level higher than the bridge, said stringsbeing attached to the tailpiece at said higher level, whereby when thestrings are under tension an upward pull is exerted upon the soundingboard.

14. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto said sounding board, strings passing through said bridge, and aninclined tailpiece flexibly connected at one end to the body of theinstrument and having its other end connected to the strings of theinstrument, and means for retaining the end of the tailpiece to whichthe strings are attached at a level higher than their point of contactwith the bridge.

15. In a guitar, an adjustable tailpiece hingedly connected at one endto the body of the instrument, and having its 4other end connected tothe strings of the instrument, and an adjusting bar slidably mountedbeneath the tailpiece.

16. In a guitar, a sounding board, a bridge secured to the soundingboard, strings passing through the bridge, a tailpiece hingedlyconnected at one end to the body of the instrument and having its otherend connected to the strings of the instrument, and means for varyingthe inclination of the tailpiece, said means comprising a slidab-le barbeneath the tailpiece.

17. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto said sounding board, strings passing through said bridge, an inclinedtailpiece hingedly connected at one end to the body of the instrumentand connected at its other end to the strings of the instrument', andmeans for holding the string engaging end of the tailpiece at a levelabove the bridge.

18. In a stringed musical instrument, a sounding board, a bridge securedto said sounding board, strings passing through said bridge, an inclinedtailpiece hingedly connected at one end to the body of the instrumentand connected at its other end to the strings of the instrument, meansfor holding the string engaging end of the tailpiece at a level abovethe bridge, and means for tensioning said strings.

19. In a guitar, a sounding board, a bridge secured to said soundingboard, strings passing through said bridge, an inclined tailpiecehingedly connected at one end to the body of the instrument and havingits other end connected to the strings of the instrument at a levelabove the bridge, and means for varying the inclination of saidtailpiece.

GEORGE D. HAMBRECHT. J. WELDON PAINE.

